by Greg Curtis
Edouard wasn't even completely certain that Theria could be restored to its former status as a city. If there were no homes and no work to return to then why would the people return? And if there were no people, who would rebuild the homes or restart the businesses? It was a vicious cycle. If nothing else there were an unknown number of bodies buried among the ruins and all of them needed to be gathered up and interred in a proper grave yard. But there was no one to do that either.
The army had already dispersed – scarcely a week after the battle. There wasn't the coin to keep paying them. Marcus had returned to the fort the previous night, a conquering war hero with nothing left to do, and had promptly found a bed. He was still upstairs somewhere, snoring away and no doubt annoying Leona as she tried to polish the bed chamber floors.
And then there was Vesar, locked away somewhere in the bowels of the city as he awaited his trial. Edouard did not want to ever have to see him again. But he did feel in some small way good that the black robed advisor was still alive. A trial was a good thing. It was good for the people. It would help restore confidence in the realm and its new king. And if Vesar had been telling the truth about his world, it might help to make things right for his people as well. That was the right thing to happen. But he still didn't want to be around.
Maybe some of his reluctance to visit the city showed on his face.
“It will be a nice trip through the country. You can get to see your old home and maybe some old friends. And besides, I am thinking you owe me something.”
“I owe you?” Edouard was shocked. “I saved your life!”
“I know and I'm grateful. But then you stole my prisoner.”
“I stole your prisoner?” It took Edouard a moment to even think who she was talking about. And then when he did he was even more shocked. “You mean Vesar?”
“Of course. He was in my custody. He would have been transported to Tyrel for proper judgement. But then you simply handed him over to your king. And he wasn't even your king then.”
Edouard would have objected. He even opened his mouth to say something. But then he thought better of it. He was never going to win.
“That's better.” Kyriel smiled, satisfied. “Now my sisters have already fired up the boiler and we have a lunch prepared for us as well. So shall we?”
She stood up and held out her arm expecting to be escorted to the carriage and Edouard naturally obliged, taking her arm. But instead of walking with her to the carriage he stopped dead as he suddenly noticed how beautiful she was again. In fact there and then, with the sunlight bathing her, she was a vision of beauty. Instead of doing what he should he had a sudden rush of blood to the head and he took her hand and turned her around to face him. Then he pulled her close and kissed her. Kyriel he was pleased to discover, didn't resist. In fact after the first few shocked seconds she seemed to want to pull him closer. Though afterwards of course she was properly offended.
“Really I …!”
“Hush!” Edouard actually managed to stop her with that, though it occurred to him that the silence wouldn't last long. So he kissed her again and this time felt her melt into him. It was a long time before they needed to stop for air.
“Edouard –.” She started to say something. Maybe to protest.
“Hush.” He kissed her a little more until she got the message. And he guessed she did when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and started pulling him closer. At last he finally knew for certain that she had the same feelings for him that he had for her. Just as he also knew what he had to do.
“Now it occurs to me that I am a man in urgent need of a wife. And that you are a beautiful, capable and intelligent woman who would make a perfect wife. And that despite all your protestations, you and April and the other women have been leading me around like a prize calf with a ring through his nose.”
“But –.”
“No buts! Especially when I can finally see my sister's hands in this. The same one who's been telling me that Father is determined to marry me off. Unless of course I can marry someone else first.” April's plan was suddenly so obvious to him. As was the fact that he was sure she hadn't acted alone. Something which he immediately accused Kyriel of.
“I … I …” Kyriel's cheeks started turning bright red and she tried to protest her innocence as well as his cavalier treatment of her, but he stopped that in a hurry by kissing her again. It seemed to be an effective not to mention enjoyable strategy. And it was also nice to discover that he did have some small power over her.
“Did I say I was averse to this plan?” Edouard asked her the simple question and then watched as Kyriel's protests died away in a hurry. But the colour remained in her cheeks.
“Good!” And it was good he thought as he kissed her again.
“Now My Lady.” Once things were quiet again he decided to at least try for a little more respectability instead of just mauling her in public. It would have been nice to continue and perhaps even take things to their inevitable conclusion, but he was not his brother nor his father. And he would never disrespect a woman. Least of all one of Tyrel's handmaidens. “Shall we head for our carriage?”
He held out his arm for her to take and after a few moments hesitation she did. Maybe she was still in a little shock from what he'd done to her and so unable to complain – but he didn't think so. If anything he suspected she was simply happy and didn't know how to deal with it.
Then he escorted her around to the stables at the rear of the fort where as promised the carriage awaited them. He could already see steam gently rising from the stack.
“May I?” He lowered the little ladder for her and held out his hand to help her up, and Kyriel accepted it without protest. In fact he couldn't help but notice that she was still blushing a little. Maybe even smiling though she tried to hide it.
Things were going remarkably well he thought. And then he heard a woman scream.
Except that she wasn't exactly screaming as he slowly realised. Not in pain anyway. She was moaning. And he could hear a man crying out too. His brother, Marcus. Somewhere upstairs in the fort. He wasn't in pain either.
Edouard looked around, noticing the other handmaidens all colouring and looking away as they understood what was happening. He understood it too.
“Oh by all that's holy did Denetta arrive this morning?” Kyriel's only answer was to turn bright red once more and stare determinedly out toward the distant trees. But that was all the answer he needed.
“Time to go.” Edouard folded the ladder back up, hurried around to the other side of the carriage, leapt into the driver's seat as quickly as he could, engaged the drive chain and had them racing away as fast as the carriage could take them. Soon the front gate was just in front of them and blessed silence was just beyond it.
Maybe, he thought as he heard the sound of Leona yelling at the pair somewhere behind them, this would actually be the perfect day to visit Theria after all. Especially when Kyriel's hand unexpectedly crept into his and he could see laughter trying to force its way out of her.
Maybe they didn't need to return in a hurry either.